Illustration of Gold

4600 BCE Gold

The book of science

Tom Sharp

Varna Necropolis, Bulgaria elements Illustration of Gold

Gold

Formed in supernovas or by neutron stars colliding and deposited on Earth by asteriods, gold has always been a part of civilization which prospectors have escaped and thieves have thwarted always in search of gold.

Atomic number 79

The earliest gold artifacts were found in graves in the Varna Necropolis dating from 4600 BCE. Chinese doctors used gold to treat skin problems and smallpox as early as 2500 BCE. Gold in Egypt from Nubia was entombed with pharaohs including Tutankhamun in 1323 BCE. Chinese were the first to use gold coins as money, in 1091 BCE. Moses forbade worshipping the golden calf and built the ark of the covenant plated entirely in gold. The Romans perfected hydraulic mining for gold in Hispania from 25 BCE. The gold ducat of Venice introduced in 1284 was the most popular gold coin in the world for the next five centuries. The Spanish rushed to the Americas to rob the Aztecs of their gold after 1519. Sir Walter Raleigh and his son in the New World went on fruitless quests for El Dorado the city of gold, which cost them their lives. Nazis pulled gold teeth and fillings of the Jews whom they murdered, and likely used the same gold to fill Hitler’s cavities.

Electrum

The Lydians used electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, and stretched out the gold with more silver to make their coins. * Philosophers in the sixteenth century taught base metals could be transmuted into gold. It could be they fooled everyone into thinking they were trying to make real gold, and not simply perfecting their spiritual paths. * Arthurian quests for the Holy Grail, the gold chalice of Christ’s last supper, were in search of happiness and eternal youth or at least a good legend. * King Midas got his wish that everything he touched would turn to gold but then there was nothing he could eat. * Pure gold is soft; therefore, for your ring, we suggest an alloy with nickel, which we call “white gold.” Ha, ha. We make you think you’re getting a good deal. Anyway, you’ll never make a golden anniversary. What percentage of base metal should we bet on? * Beautiful flatware nothing can tarnish, but don’t wash it too hard. The plating might be thin.

The great gold burglaries make compelling stories because we like to know that those who cut to the front of the line are duly punished.

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